Gharda Chemicals

What Gharda Chemicals does

Gharda Chemicals Limited is a privately held Indian chemical manufacturer founded in 1967 and headquartered in Mumbai, operating five manufacturing units across India (Dombivli, Lote Parshuram, Panoli, Ankleshwar, and Samba) and a dedicated R&D center in Dombivli. The company produces three principal product families: high-performance pigments (marketed through its Gharda Pigments division, established in 2003) under the GAFAST brand, agrochemicals, and specialty polymers including Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK). Pigment chemistries span PY 138, PR 122, PV 19, and PV 23 color indexes, with application-tailored grades for printing inks (solvent- and water-based), plastics (masterbatch, fiber), paints and coatings (including automotive refinishes and industrial coatings), and textiles. All products are developed through in-house R&D processes and the portfolio carries REACH registration along with RoHS, EN71, and APEO compliance; the company is also certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 18001 standards by SGS.

The business operates as a B2B industrial supplier selling directly to global manufacturers in inks, paints, plastics, and textiles, with the website explicitly positioning Gharda Pigments as a premier vendor to well-known multinational corporations. Revenue is generated through product sales via a direct sales motion with quote-based, undisclosed pricing for enterprise customers; no public pricing, distribution, or revenue figures are disclosed. The company is closely associated with its late founder, Dr. Keki H. Gharda (Padma Shri awardee, 2004 Chemical Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Chemists), whose death in September 2024 leaves an unresolved succession question for the privately controlled entity. Mukund Bhandare is identified as Chief Executive Officer alongside the founder's former Chairman and Managing Director role.

Name

Gharda Chemicals

Legal name

Gharda Chemicals Limited

Website

https://ghardapigments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Gharda Chemicals is a privately held Indian chemical manufacturer founded in 1967, producing high-performance pigments, agrochemicals, and specialty polymers including PEEK for global industrial customers in inks, paints, plastics, and textiles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals - High-Performance Pigments

NAICS

Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (325130), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro primary industry

Pigments & Dyes (IMAEAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Polymers & Resins (Engineered Materials) (IMAEABAK), Carbon Black & Bulk Pigments (IMAEAAAF)

Keywords

• High performance pigments
• Organic pigment manufacturing
• Specialty chemical manufacturing
• Industrial colorants
• Agrochemical manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. High-Performance Pigments Sales: Manufactures and sells high-performance pigments to industrial customers in printing inks, paints, plastics, and textiles industries. Revenue generated through product sales to manufacturers.
2. Agrochemicals: Manufactures agrochemical products as part of the company's diversified chemical portfolio.
3. Polymers: Manufactures specialty polymers including PEEK for various industrial applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Gharda Chemicals manufactures and sells high-performance pigments (HPP), agrochemicals, and specialty polymers including PEEK through its Gharda Pigments division. Its GAFAST brand pigments (PY 138, PR 122, PV 19, PV 23) are produced in-house and supplied globally to printing ink, paint & coating, plastic, and textile manufacturers. The company operates five manufacturing plants across India backed by a dedicated R&D center in Dombivli.

Product overview

Gharda Pigments, a division of Gharda Chemicals Limited, is a manufacturer of High-Performance Pigments (HPP) including organic, inorganic, and effect pigments, as well as performance colorants and speciality chemicals. The product portfolio consists of GAFAST brand pigments across four color families: YELLOW (PY 138), PINK (PR 122), RED (PV 19), and VIOLET (PV 23). These pigments are designed for specific industry applications including printing inks (solvent-based and water-based), plastics (masterbatch and fiber), paints, coatings, and textiles. The pigments are developed in-house through R&D and manufactured at the Panoli, Gujarat facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GAFAST YELLOW 4010 (PY 138) Yellow high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 56300) formulated for printing ink applications.
• GAFAST YELLOW 4011 (PY 138) Yellow high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 56300) formulated for polymers and plastic applications.
• GAFAST YELLOW 4012 (PY 138) Yellow high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 56300) formulated for water-based paints, textiles, automobile refinishes, and high-performance industrial coatings.
• GAFAST PINK 2110 (PR 122) Pink high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 73915) formulated for printing ink applications.
• GAFAST PINK 2111 (PR 122) Pink high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 73915) formulated for plastic and offset ink applications.
• GAFAST PINK 2112 (PR 122) Pink high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 73915) formulated for solvent-based paint, water-based paint, water-based ink, and textile applications.
• GAFAST RED 2211 (PV 19) Red high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 73900) formulated for plastic applications.
• GAFAST RED 2212 (PV 19) Red high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 73900) formulated for solvent-based paint, water-based paint, industrial paint, automobile metallic finishes, water-based ink, and textile applications.
• GAFAST VIOLET 1010 (PV 23) Violet high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 51319) formulated for printing ink applications.
• GAFAST VIOLET 1011 (PV 23) Violet high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 51319) formulated for plastic and offset ink applications.
• GAFAST VIOLET 1012 (PV 23) Violet high-performance pigment (Color Index No. 51319) formulated for solvent-based paint, water-based paint, water-based ink, and textile applications.
• Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) Polymer Specialty high-performance polymer developed and commercialized in-house for various industrial applications.
• Agrochemicals Diversified agrochemical product portfolio manufactured as part of the company's chemical business.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leading manufacturer of High-Performance Pigments PV 23, R 122, PV 19, and PY 138

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BASF SE: World's largest chemical company with a substantial pigments, dyes, and performance chemicals division serving paints, plastics, and inks globally. Overlaps with Gharda in PEEK (BASF discontinued), pigments, and polymer intermediates.
• Clariant AG: Swiss specialty chemicals major with significant pigments, dyes, and additives business serving paints, plastics, and inks. Comparable as a global HPP competitor and supplier to many of the same MNC customers Gharda serves.
• Sun Chemical: World's largest producer of printing inks and a major pigments manufacturer (part of DIC group). Overlaps with Gharda's ink-grade pigment portfolio and shares similar MNC customers in graphic arts.
• DIC Corporation: Japanese chemicals and pigments producer with a leading position in printing ink pigments (PV 23, R 122 chemistries overlap with Gharda's GAFAST range). Comparable in pigments-for-inks and global MNC customer base.
• ALTANA AG: German specialty chemicals group with divisions (ECKART, BYK) supplying effect pigments, additives, and coatings raw materials. Comparable as a global specialty chemicals supplier serving paints/coatings and plastics customers.

Direct peers

• Atul Ltd: Indian diversified specialty chemicals company producing pigments, dyes, intermediates, and polymers from Indian manufacturing bases. Directly comparable as a fellow Indian specialty chemical conglomerate with similar end-market exposure.
• Sudarshan Chemical Industries: Indian-listed pigments and dyes manufacturer serving paints, plastics, inks, and textiles globally. Most direct peer given overlapping HPP portfolio, Indian manufacturing base, and similar B2B industrial customer segments.
• Bodal Chemicals Ltd: Indian dyes, dye intermediates, and pigments manufacturer serving textile, leather, and paper industries. Comparable Indian-listed peer with similar export orientation and specialty chemical product range.
• Heubach Group: Specialty pigments producer formed via Clariant Pigments integration; competes directly with Gharda in HPP for paints, coatings, plastics, and inks. Comparable product chemistry and regulatory compliance positioning.

Emerging players

• Victrex plc: Global leader in PEEK polymer production, primarily serving aerospace, automotive, and medical applications. Direct comparator for Gharda's PEEK technology platform and competitive benchmark for scale-up ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ghardachem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gharda-chemicals-limited

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gharda Chemicals